Kirsty's Blog:

I'm a Lifestyle family photographer living in south west London. I have a passion for capturing authentic family images full of connection and joy and I really want to show you that as difficult as being a parent can be, there really is something wonderful about you and your family, right now.

You’ve booked your photography session and you’re excited about capturing some amazing photos of your family. Now… what do you wear?!

Your clothing choices can have a huge impact on how your final gallery will look. If you book a session with me, you’ll receive some advice on how to choose your outfits, but if you are anything like me, it sometimes helps to have a visual aid.

So here are some of my very stylish clients who aced the brief and looked amazing at their sessions. Read on to see how their clothing really enhanced their galleries.

Do you want to see what my family wore to our recent photography session? Scroll down.

Think about your location when choosing your outfits

Are you having your photographs done in your home? At an outdoor location of your choice? What time of year is it? What sorts of colours can you expect to see?

The top photo was taken during an Autumn session this time last year. This lovely mum really wanted some photos next to this gorgeous red foliage. Her little boy’s coat, her lovely red lipstick and her beautifully textured hat and shawl were perfect, not just in-front of this wall, but in the Autumn leaves as well.

These photos, below, were taken on a sunny winter’s day. I absolutely loved how this mum’s bright green coat worked with the golden grasses and that golden bokeh from the sun rays. I thought the fact that her hat co-ordinated so perfectly with her son’s coat was lovely. And dad’s darker coat made for some nice contrast amid all that yellow and gold.

Below is a photo taken during summer in the lavender fields. While I often suggest staying away from busy patterns, this is an example where they work. The purple flowers on mum’s dress popped beautifully among the lavender and gave a lovely summery feel to their gallery. And her son’s blue/grey shirt matched some of the blue accents among the flowers on her dress. They co-ordinated beautifully.

Always co-ordinate, NEVER match your outfits

Unless you are the Kardashians (white shirts and blue jeans anyone?) or stuck in the 90s, never wear matching outfits.

I always suggest that mum picks her outfit first and co-ordinates the rest of the family around what she is wearing.

I really thought this lovely mum absolutely aced her outfit choices. Her boys were all co-ordinated beautifully and her lovely lace playsuit was both feminine and beautifully textured.

Can you see how this family’s outfits really enhanced the neutral decor of this home? It made for some beautiful tones in their gallery - editing these was a dream.

Be brave - go bright for your photoshoot!

A lot of my clients stick to neutrals - and if you are really stuck on what to wear then I absolutely suggest going with a neutral palette. Grey, black, white, beige and navy are timeless and can be mixed and matched on their own or with one main, bold colour to great effect (see the top photo - that pop of red works with the neutral beige beautifully.)

However if you are feeling brave then bright colours can be gorgeous.

The family above really owned their bright clothing for this super fun first birthday party. Dad in yellow and blue and mum in orange and red perfectly complimented the birthday girl’s super cute outfit… and there were orange and yellow flowers around in abundance!

These sisters, above, are a perfect example of when bright colours work. Their pink and blue outfits were perfectly co-ordinated with accents of both colours in each and they and went together beautifully. They provided a lovely girly pop of colour amid the city setting for their family photo shoot.

Pink and orange might not sound like a natural choice, but in this case, I thought this family’s outfits were perfect for the lush colours of the summer garden (which was surrounded by a stark brick wall) where we had our session.

Pastel colours can give a beautiful feel to your family photos

While I do love the vibrancy of bright colours, if that doesn’t quite match your personal style, then pastels and a softer palette can also work brilliantly.

I just loved how this family co-ordinated their outfits - and the fact that the colours were accented, not just in their clothing, but in cushions and throws throughout their home. This is the perfect example of how your personal style can really make your family photographs stand out.

Stick to your own personal style

The first thing I suggest you do when booking a session with me, is that you have a look in your wardrobe and think about your own personal style.

We all naturally gravitate towards certain colours and textures and if you are wearing something you normally wouldn’t you can often find yourself feeling nervous and uncomfortable - and that shows through in your final gallery!

I thought the gorgeous pregnant mama above looked amazing. Layering can be a very effective way to add interest to your outfit and her cardigan and long necklace really enhanced her own personal style. I also loved how her colour choices were a perfect match to the moody sky on this winter’s day photoshoot.

These photos below show another example where the family have dressed in clothing they feel comfortable in that totally matches their personal style. Their neutral outfits really enhanced the decor and colours of their home and made for a gorgeous gallery with beautiful tones.

What not to wear for your family photography session

This is a photo taken while we were on holiday, so clearly this was not what we would wear to a photoshoot (also, my husband dressed them - enough said!)

But in general stay away from neon colours, they can be distracting and also add unattractive colour casts to your skin which can be impossible to correct when editing.

Very busy patterns and large logos can also be incredible distracting in your final gallery.

So, what did we wear to our photo shoot?

Like many of my clients, I panicked at the thought of actually being infront of the camera instead of behind it. So I decided to go with a neutral palette of blues.

Did we ace it?

No, I wish my husband was wearing lighter trousers, or a white shirt. But our outfit choices actually don’t jar so much that they distract from what really matters in our family photos.

The lovely Jenny Diaz Photography, managed to capture all the love and cuddles and joy I wanted in our gallery, and at the end of the day, to me, that is what really matters!